What IS Biodiesel Exactly??



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Well, very simply put...

Biodiesel is a diesel fuel made from plant or animal oils.


biodiesel pump

OK, so you know that, but what IS biodiesel?

• This biofuel gained wide spread interest when gas prices soared, and people scrambled to find alternative energy sources.

• This fuel is popular among those wanting to break America's dependency on other countries for petroleum-based fuels.

• It can be made from waste vegetable oil, straight vegetable oil, or animal fat.

• Many home brewers make it for less than a dollar per gallon.

Photo courtesy of Robert Couse-Baker

• Pure biodiesel runs fine in warmer weather, but as it gets colder outside it thickens.

To remedy this…

You can mix biodiesel with petrodiesel in any ratio to form different blends. This way you still get the lubricity, and lowered emission benefits but you won't have to risk getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere.

• This biofuel is cleaner burning than petroleum gasoline… it is made from renewable resources… it is made through transesterification of plant oils… yadda yadda yadda…

OK, now I’m getting carried away!

If you need an uber-technical definition, head on over to Wikipedia.


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